A patient approach with three-year-old colt Tanaawol (NZ) (Savabeel) paid off for trainers Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig at Geelong on Sunday.
The son of Savabeel was having just his second career start, but showed plenty of improvement from his debut performance in April where he disappointed when finishing last.
“It was a very slow run race that day and they sprinted home and it didn’t suit him at all,” Hayes said.
“He did come out of that race very shinny. He was just very immature and told us he needed more time.
“We gave him that time and I was happy with the way he trialled up this prep and he converted it to the racetrack.”
Under a patient ride by jockey Jamie Mott, Tanaawol sat off the pace for the majority of the race before Mott was able to navigate his way through the field and find clear running room late and Tanaawol was able to storm home to win by three-quarters of a length.
“He weaved through the traffic beautifully and won like a very good horse,” Hayes said.
“We will see how he comes through the run, but they all love to have a crack at the (Caulfield) Guineas (Gr.1, 1600m) and he really put his hand up today (Sunday) in a race where a lot of horses were fancied.
“We could have some fun with him.”
Tanaawol was purchased out of Waikato Stud’s 2019 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 Yearling Sale draft for $500,000 by Shadwell Stud and bloodstock consultant Hubie de Burgh.
The handsome colt is out of the O’Reilly mare Cupid, a half-sister to Group One performer Another Dollar.
